This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Wolframite is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
| Wolframite | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| General | |
| Category | Mineral |
| Chemical formula | (Fe,Mn)WO4 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Black (ferberite) to brown (huebnerite) |
| Crystal habit | Tabular crystals, sometimes prismatic |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic 2/m |
| Cleavage | Perfect 010 |
| Fracture | Uneven to rough |
| Mohs Scale hardness | 4-4.5 |
| Luster | Submetallic to resinous |
| Refractive index | Opaque |
| Pleochroism | None |
| Streak | Black to brown |
| Specific gravity | 7 - 7.5 |
| Fusibility | 3 - 4 to magnetic globule |
| Solubility | Insoluble |
Wolframite (Fe,Mn)WO4, is an iron manganese tungstate mineral that is the intermediate between ferberite (Fe2+ rich) and huebernite (Mn2+ rich). Along with scheelite, the wolframite series are the most important tungsten ore minerals. Wolframite is found in quartz veins and pegmatites associated with granitic intrusives. Associated minerals include cassiterite, scheelite, bismuth, quartz, pyrite, galena, sphalerite, and arsenopyrite.
It was historically found in Bohemia, Saxony, and Cornwall. China reportedly has the world's largest supply of tungsten ore with about 60%. Other producers are Portugal, Russia, Australia, Thailand, Korea, Bolivia, and the United States.
The name comes from German Wolfram for tungsten 1 and provides the chemical symbol, W, for tungsten.
Wolframite was highly valued as the main source of the metal tungsten, a strong and dense material with many military uses. In WWII wolframite mines were a strategic asset as the metal was used in munitions. German industrial tools mostly used tungsten carbide. Also, tungsten was used in specialized armor piercing ammunition. This importance has decreased with the increasing use of depleted uranium for many of these applications.
See also
References
- ^ Peter van der Krogt. "Wolframium Wolfram Tungsten". Elementymology & Elements Multidict. Retrieved on 2008-05-14.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 12 October 2008, at 01:55.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Wolframite".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.